Stories for June 2009

The Honduran president ousted by a military coup and forced into exile has said he will return home on Thursday. Speaking in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, late on Monday, Manuel Zelaya said: I go to Tegucigalpa on Thursday. I'm the elected president, I will fulfil my four-year term.

Argentine president Cristina Kirchner downplayed the defeat suffered by government candidates in Sunday’s mid term elections and insisted the ruling coalition had won with 31.03% of the overall national vote, denied any cabinet changes and criticized political analysts for their interpretation of election results.

In anticipation of the next cruise season the Falkland Islands Tourist Board is overseeing several infrastructure projects at the Stanley public jetty which should improve conditions making “visitor safety and comfort first”.

Uruguay confirmed the first death of the A/H1N1 virus influenza and two more hospitalized cases, which have been described as in “critical situation”. The victim is a 60 year old woman who died in a government managed hospital on Monday

Two officials from the Lula da Silva administration which have played crucial roles are expected to leave the government in the coming months. One of them is presidential advisor Roberto Mangabeira Unger who is returning to Harvard University, the other banker Henrique Meirelles who is planning to run for governor of the state of Goias.

Argentine former President Néstor Kirchner announced Monday he had resigned the presidency of the Justicialista (Peronist) Party, in a message that was recorded in the Olivos presidential residency by the official news agency Telam and was aired by the local media.

Baroness Thatcher has returned home from hospital more than two weeks after breaking her arm in a fall. The former Prime Minister, dressed in a pink cardigan, pink top and cream-coloured skirt, with her left arm apparently in a sling, waved at reporters and smiled on the doorstep of her central London home.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family cost the British taxpayer 69p per person last year - an increase of 3p, Buckingham Palace accounts have revealed. The total cost of keeping the monarchy increased by £1.5 million to £41.5 million during the 2008-09 financial year.

The Brazilian Central Bank announced it had reached an initial understanding with China for the gradual elimination of the US dollar in bilateral trade operations which in 2009 are estimated to reach 40 billion US dollars.